远离尘嚣-第11节

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‘Gabriel，you　are　kind　to　me！Oh　why　aren't　the　others　here？Don't　tell　me，I　know。　They're　all　drunk　in　the　barn，aren't　they？It　was　my　husband's　fault。　Gabriel，I　want　to　tell　you　something。　’The　soft　flashes　of　the　dying　lightning　showed　her　face，very　white　against　the　black　sky。　‘I　care　about　your　good　opinion　of　me，so　I　want　to　explain　why　I　went　to　Bath　that　night。　It　wasn't　to　marry　Troy，it　was　to　break　off　my　relationship　with　him。　Perhaps　you　wonder　why　I　married　him　then？Well，I　suppose　I　must　tell　you。　It　was　because　he　told　me　he　had　seen　a　woman　more　beautiful　than　me，and　said　that　if　I　wanted　him　as　a　husband，I　must　marry　him　at　once！I　was　wild　with　love　and　jealousy，so　I　married　him！’Gabriel　did　not　reply。

‘I'll　bring　some　more　straw　up　to　you，shall　I？’she　offered。

She　made　several　more　journeys　before　he　noticed　her　tired－ness。　‘I　think　you'd　better　go　indoors　now，’he　said，as　gently　as　a　mother。　‘I'll　finish　the　work　alone。　’

‘If　I'm　useless，I'll　go，’said　Bathsheba。　‘But，oh，if　you　fell…！’

‘You　aren't　useless，but　you're　tired。　You've　done　well。　’

‘And　you've　done　better，’she　said　gratefully。　‘Thank　you　a　thousand　times，Gabriel！Goodnight。　’

She　disappeared　in　the　darkness。　He　went　on　thatching　in　a　kind　of　dream。　She　had　spoken　more　warmly　to　him　tonight　than　she　had　ever　done　when　she　was　unmarried　and　free　to　speak　as　warmly　as　she　liked。

The　wind　changed　and　became　stronger。　At　the　same　time　heavy　rain　started　falling。　As　Gabriel　worked　on　the　top　of　the　ricks，he　suddenly　remembered　that，eight　months　before，he　had　been　fighting　against　fire　in　the　same　place　as　desperately　as　he　was　fighting　against　water　now—and　for　love　of　the　same　woman，who　did　not　love　him。

It　was　not　until　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning　that　Gabriel　climbed　down　from　the　last　rick，exhausted　and　wet　to　the　skin。　He　noticed　figures　coming　out　of　the　barn，walking　slowly　and　painfully　to　their　homes。　They　all　looked　ashamed　except　Troy，who　was　whistling　cheerfully　as　he　entered　the　farmhouse。　None　of　them　thought　of　looking　at　the　ricks。

On　his　way　back　to　Coggan's　house，Gabriel　met　Boldwood。

‘How　are　you，sir？’asked　Gabriel。

150　

‘Yes，it's　a　wet　day。　Oh，I'm　very　well，thank　you。　’

‘You　look　a　little　different，sir。　’

‘No，you're　wrong，Oak。　I'm　just　the　same。　Nothing　hurts　me。　But　you　look　tired。　’

‘I've　been　working　all　night　to　get　our　ricks　covered。　Never　worked　so　hard　in　my　life！Yours　are　safe　of　course，sir？’

‘Oh　yes。　’Boldwood　added　after　a　silence，‘What　did　you　ask？’

‘Your　ricks　are　all　covered？’

‘No，none　of　them。　I　forgot　to　tell　the　men　to　thatch　them。　I　expect　most　of　my　wheat　will　be　destroyed　in　this　rain。　’

‘Forgot，’repeated　Gabriel　to　himself。　It　was　difficult　to　believe　that　the　most　careful　farmer　in　the　area　would　lose　all　his　harvest　because　of　a　moment's　forgetfulness。　This　would　never　have　happened　before　Boldwood　fell　in　love　with　Bathsheba。

Boldwood　clearly　wanted　to　talk，although　it　was　still　raining　heavily。　‘Oak，you　knew　I　wanted　to　get　married。　’

‘I　thought　my　mistress　was　going　to　marry　you，’said　Gabriel　sympathetically。　‘However，nothing　that　we　expect　ever　happens。　’

He　spoke　with　the　calmness　of　a　man　used　to　disaster。

‘Perhaps　the　villagers　laugh　at　me，’said　Boldwood　with　a　pretended　lightness。

‘Oh　no，I　don't　think　so。　’

‘But　the　truth　is　that　we　were　never　engaged，so　she　never　broke　off　the　engagement，you　see。　’But　Boldwood　could　not　remain　calm。　‘Oh　Gabriel，’he　said　wildly，‘I'm　weak　and　foolish，and　I　feel　it's　better　to　die　than　to　live！’After　a　silence，he　continued　more　normally。　‘I've　accepted　the　fact　of　her　refusal　now。　I'm　sorry，of　course，but　no　woman　has　ever　controlled　my　life。　Well，good　morning。　’

　



　


14

Bathsheba　discovers　the　truth

　

Summer　turned　into　autumn　and　one　Saturday　evening　in　October　Bathsheba　and　her　husband　were　riding　home　from　Casterbridge　market。

‘Yes，if　it　hadn't　rained　so　hard，I'd　have　won　two　hundred　pounds　easily，my　love，’Troy　was　saying。　‘The　horse　I　put　my　money　on　fell　over　in　the　mud，you　see。　Such　bad　luck！’

‘But　Frank，’said　Bathsheba　miserably，‘do　you　realize　you've　lost　more　than　a　hundred　pounds　in　a　month　with　this　awful　horse…racing？It's　foolish　of　you　to　spend　my　money　like　that！You'll　promise　not　to　go　to　the　next　race，on　Monday，won't　you？’

‘It　doesn't　matter　whether　I　go　or　not。　I've　already　put　money　on　an　excellent　horse　in　the　Monday　race。　Don't　cry，Bathsheba！If　I'd　known　you　were　so　cautious，I'd　never　have—’

He　did　not　finish　what　he　was　saying。　Just　then　they　noticed　a　woman　walking　towards　them。　Although　it　was　almost　dark，they　could　see　that　she　was　poorly　dressed。

‘Please，sir，do　you　know　what　time　the　Casterbridge　workhouse　closes？’she　asked　in　a　voice　of　extreme　sadness。

Troy　jumped　in　surprise，but　kept　his　face　turned　away　from　her　before　replying，‘I　don't　know。　’

When　the　woman　hear　him　speak，and　looked　up　to　his　face，her　expression　showed　both　pain　and　happiness。　She　gave　a　cry，and　fell　to　the　ground，unconscious。

‘Oh　poor　thing！’cried　Bathsheba。　‘I'll　help　her！’

‘No，stay　on　your　horse，and　take　mine！’ordered　Troy，jumping　down。　‘Take　the　horses　to　the　top　of　the　hill。　’

Bathsheba　obeyed，and　moved　away。　Troy　lifted　up　the　woman。

‘I　thought　you　were　far　away，or　dead！’he　told　her，in　a　strangely　gentle　voice。　‘Why　didn't　you　write　to　me，Fanny？’

‘I　was　afraid　to。　’

‘Have　you　any　money？No？Here's　all　I　have，it's　not　much。　I　can't　ask　my　wife　for　any　more　at　the　moment。　’The　woman　said　nothing。　’Listen，’continued　Troy，‘I'll　have　to　leave　you　now。　You're　going　to　the　Casterbridge　workhouse？Well，stay　there　for　tonight　and　tomorrow　anyway，but　I'll　find　somewhere　better　for　you。　I'll　meet　you　on　Monday　morning　at　ten　o'clock　on　the　bridge　just　outside　town。　I'll　bring　you　all　the　money　I　can。　Goodbye！’

At　the　top　of　the　hill　Bathsheba　turned　and　saw　the　woman　walking　slowly　on　towards　Casterbridge。　Troy　soon　caught　up　with　his　wife。　He　looked　very　upset。

‘Who　is　that　woman？Bathsheba　looked　closely　into　his　face。

‘She's　not　important　to　either　of　us，’he　replied　coldly。　

‘I　think　you　know　her，’Bathsheba　went　on。

‘I　don't　care　what　you　think！’he　answered，and　they　continued　their　ride　in　silence。

The　two　miles　to　Casterbridge　seemed　a　very　long　way　to　the　woman，who　was　tired　and　ill。　Sometimes　she　walked，sometimes　she　rested　a　little，beside　the　road。　All　through　the　night　her　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　lights　of　Casterbridge，the　end　of　her　journey。　At　six　o'clock　the　next　morning　she　finally　fell　in　front　of　the　door　of　the　workhouse，and　the　people　there　took　her　in。

Bathsheba　and　her　husband　did　not　speak　much　that　evening，or　the　following　day。　But　on　Sunday　evening　Troy　said　suddenly，‘Bathsheba，could　you　let　me　have　twenty　pounds？I　need　it。　’

‘Ah！’she　said　sadly，‘for　the　races　tomorrow。　Oh，Frank，only　a　few　weeks　ago　you　said　I　was　far　sweeter　than　all　your　other　pleasures！Now　won't　you　stop　risking　money　on　horses，which　is　more　a　worry　than　a　pleasure？Say　yes　to　your　wife，Frank，say　yes！’Her　beautiful　face　would　have　persuaded　most　men，including　Troy　if　he　had　not　been　married　to　her，but　he　no　longer　loved　her　enough　to　agree　to　anything　she　wanted。

‘Well，the　money　isn't　for　racing　anyway，’he　said。　‘Don't　keep　me　short　of　money，Bathsheba，or　you'll　be　sorry。　’

‘I'm　sorry　already，’she　replied，‘sorry　that　our　love　has　come　to　an　end。　’

‘Love　always　ends　after　marriage。　I　think　you　hate　me。　’

‘No，not　you。　I　only　hate　your　faults。　’

‘Then　why　not　help　me　to　improve？Come，let's　be　friends。　Just　give　me　the　twenty　pounds。　’

‘Well，here's　the　money。　Take　it。　’

‘Thank　you。　I　expect　I'll　be　away　before　breakfast　tomor…row。　’

‘Must　you　go，Frank？Stay　with　me！There　was　a　time　when　you　used　to　call　me　darling。　Now　you　don't　care　how　I　spend　my　time。　’

‘I　must　go，’said　Troy，taking　out　his　watch。　He　opened　the　back　of　the　watch　case，and　Bathsheba，who　happened　to　be　looking，saw　that　there　was　a　curl　of　hair　hidden　inside。

‘Oh　Frank！’she　gasped。　‘A　woman's　hair！Whose　is　it？’

Troy　closed　the　watch　immediately　and　replied　carelessly，‘Why，yours　of　course。　I'd　quite　forgotten　I　had　it。　’

‘You're　lying，Frank。　It's　yellow　hair。　Mine　is　darker。　’

‘Well，all　right，if　I　must　tell　you，it's　the　hair　of　a　young　woman　I　was　going　to　marry　before　I　met　you。　’

‘Tell　me　her　name！Is　she　married？’

‘I　can't　tell　you　her　name，but　she's　single。　’

‘Is　she　alive？Is　she　pretty？’

‘Yes　to　both　questions。　’

‘How　can　she　be　pretty，poor　thing，with　hair　that　colour？’

‘Her　hair　has　been　admired　by　everybody　who's　seen　her。　It's　beautiful　hair！Don't　be　jealous，Bathsheba！You　shouldn't　have　married　me　if　you　didn't　trust　me！’

‘This　is　all　I　get　for　loving　you　so　much！’cried　Bathsheba　bitterly。　‘I　would　have　died　for　you　when　I　married　you，and　now　you　laugh　at　my　foolishness　in　marrying　you！But　you'll　bu